The Legend of the Lobster (or How the Lobster became a Rich Man’s Delicacy)

03Feb

I once had an assignment that asked how the lobster became a delicacy of the rich man. I didn’t have an answer and I was too lazy to research so I created a little poem that told the story… This is purely fiction so quoting it at a Red Lobster Poetry Slam will do nothing more than provide entertainment… Have fun!!

The Legend of the Lobster (or How the Lobster Became a Rich Man’s Delicacy)

Years ago in the village of New Acklam,
a bounty by the sea could be found.
The poor, hungry villagers would trek there
to search for food on the ground.

Large lobsters by the hundreds
much more than man could eat
were taken, oh so for granted,
and provided little of a treat.

Yet they scavenged for years upon years
preparing lobster in all soups and all dishes,
until young William John Adams picked one up that shined
and granted him three mighty wishes.

Young William wished for two things,
and long forgotten those wishes be.
But the third wish, oh that third wish,
changed his family, the village and the sea.

William wished for all the poor villagers
to never eat lobster again,
but instead have bountiful portions
not only of the sea but dry land.

The lobster granted his wishes
and the villagers ate from the land.
They forgot about their years of lobster
and always had plenty food at hand.

It was years later when William was older
and a father and grandfather he be,
that he told of the tale of the lobster
and that treasured day at the sea.

Yet as he spoke of that day,
that moment he praised so much,
he began to crave the white meat
that he had as a boy for lunch.

He wanted to taste another lobster,
as it had been so many years.
He walked to the ocean and searched,
yet his search only ended in tears.

What had he done? He was remorseful,
for those had been pleasant days.
As he sat on the beach on the rocks
he saw something coming his way.

It was a boy he saw walking
with a large pack upon his back.
He noticed the pack had movement
and so asked what was in the sack.

“A lobster, a large lobster,”
the young, curious boy replied.
It was to feed his poor family,
his family of quite large size.

William gleamed with excitement
and offered to pay for the sack.
But the boy refused greatly
for he had no other food to take back.

William had grown into wealth
from hard work or a wish he had gained.
So he offered the boy and his family
a lifetime of fortune and fame.

He paid the boy for the lobster
enough to feed plenty for months.
Then he and the boy worked together
to catch lobsters for others to munch.

The lobsters were few to be found
and costly to seek and to catch.
Yet those who hadn’t tasted the meat were curious
and paid greatly for a batch.

The taste they grew very fond of,
The texture, they begged for more.
It was the boy on the beach with the lobster
whose family opened a store.

They sold only to the wealthy
and gave profits to the poor.
Their fame spread through the Northeast,
Through the country and the world.

So lobsters today aren’t many,
their value is highly prized.
And now William John Adams is famous
and in New Acklam immortalized!